When RPI officially identified itself as
"coeducational" in 1942, its administration struggled to come to terms with
the label. A typical attitude was reflected in the 1958 correspondence
between Joan J. Brown, Class of 1947 and Edward Dion, Secretary of the Rensselaer
Alumni Association. Mrs. Brown inquired whether RPI was considered
coeducational. When Brown asked General Secretary Richard Schmelzer
for verification, the latter wrote "we are coeducational even though we
don't stress the fact because we don't want too many gals around."

Not surprisingly, applications from
prospective females dwindled during the 1950s. There were never more
than eight female students in one class. Among the many explanations for
this phenomenon are the facts that Rensselaer was not promoted as coeducational
and the Institute was not equipped to respond to the needs of women students.
Campus housing was not available for the "girls" and there were no student
services designed specifically for coeds.

At first there was little pressure to change
the campus to accommodate women. There was also a distinct reluctance
to make a full commitment to coeducation. The women who attended Rensselaer
during the first twenty years of its coeducational status tended to stand
out - often dramatically. Their successes were frequently singled
out in publications as admirable exceptions and they were often asked why
they decided to attend Rensselaer. It is not surprising that in 1961
the Polytechnic quoted one
coed as saying,

"Rather than being stared
at and being regarded as freaks, we would like to be treated as humans."
The article further states that the coeds were "tired of being interviewed."